In the assembly of electronic circuits it is possible that a previously tested electronic component, such as an integrated circuit chip, is damaged by static discharge from the hands of the person assembling the circuit. The damage is more serious than the loss of the single component since the cost of locating the defect in the circuit requires time and skill and can be higher than the value of the component. Therefore it has become the practice in manual circuit assembly of static sensitive components to connect the assembly operator to ground and continuously bleed off any static charge which may develop in the operator. Grounding is accomplished by a conductor having at one end a connector attached to a grounded terminal at the assembly station, and at its other end an electrode pressed against the operators skin as by a conductive wrist strap, for example.
However, the prior grounding assembly of wrist electrode, conductor and ground connector is repeatedly flexed by the assembly operator's arm movements and is subject to fatigue failure or by abusive treatment which breaks the connection between the conductor and the ground connector or the wrist electrode. Usually such failures cannot be visually detected and negate the grounding precautions taken to protect static sensitive components. An obvious solution is to apply an electrical continuity tester to the ground connector and wrist electrode. But this usually requires removal of the wrist strap or is impractical. Another test for integrity of the grounding system is with a specialized instrument which accepts contact by both the operator's fingers and the ground connector. Such instruments are expensive and inconveniently occupy area at the assembly station.
Accordingly it is the object of the present invention to provide a way of testing the integrity of static grounding apparatus which can be used with or without detaching the apparatus, and which does not require expensive or space consuming test instruments at the operator's station.